Murder, Inc.

An enthralling and convincing account of one of the most tragic occurrences of the 20th century.
This book is well researched, well documented, and well written.
An interesting read for anyone who enjoys conspiracy theories and intriguing conversation.
A strong 3 stars.

This is an important contribution to the many analyses of the United States' policy towards Castro and its possible connection to JFK's assassination. This book is different because of the author's access to hitherto unavailable papers and archives. It is a book likely to be of interest to students of that era rather than to a casual reader. It does not of course solve the mystery of who might have been behind Kennedy's murder but it does highlight the paranoia and general incompetence surrounding its investigation and indeed the whole policy towards Cuba. It is hard to believe those involved were capable of the subtle approach that would have been needed for this to be a coordinated approach.

I am fascinated by all things JFK and on the whole did enjoy this. It’s well researched and easy to read I did uncover new facts. Thank you for the chance to review.

Book Court - Where I'm the Judge and Jury

CHARGE: To explore whether the assassination of John F. Kennedy was ordered by Fidel Castro as the result of the CIA’s attempts to assassinate Castro?

As JFK assumed the presidency in 1961, he inherited a CIA that President Eisenhower described as “a legacy of ashes.” It had deviated from the mission for which it was created – intelligence gathering – into covert action. One of the first pressures placed on the new president was to do something about Castro and Cuba. Working with the Mob, the CAI plotted the assassination of Fidel Castro, while simultaneously planning the doomed Bay of Pigs Invasion. It was fascinating to learn that the CIA had an assassination team in Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis,despite their informal commitment not to attempt to overthrow the Castro government. After resolution of the crisis, the US continued to work toward a solution of the Cuba problem. Castro understood that these activities were continuing. In an interview with the AP in September 1963, Castro said, “United State leaders should be mindful that if they are aiding terrorist plans to eliminate Cuban leaders, they themselves will not be safe.” Were these words prescient? Was this the rationale for Oswald’s continued efforts to enter Cuba. Did he receive his instructions while in Mexico City? What were his ties with Russia – where he lived and married a Russian woman. Four days before the assassination, in a speech in Miami, President Kennedy called Castro “a barrier to be removed.” Had he just called for his own assassination? After Kennedy’s death, the investigation was hampered by the inability of the FBI and CIA to cooperate. In effect, Oswald had brought about regime change. Evidence seems to indicate that all investigations of the Kennedy assassination were to steer clear of the issue of foreign involvement. Some have called the Kennedy assassination one of the greatest intelligence failures in history. This is an extensive investigation of all these circumstances.

VERDICT: Guilty, as charged. An exhaustive treatment of an interesting theory.

#MurderInc #NetGalley

Despite its 888 pages the Warren Commission Report on the Kennedy assassination from the day of its publication in September 1964 until now has always been the subject of much scepticism and controversy. Leads were not followed, questions were not asked and the CIA according to a report by the CIA Chief Historian David Robarge was complicit in a "benign cover-up" by withholding information. The general view among the American establishment at that time was that there was a need to draw a line through the events at Dallas and therefore it was imperative that the conclusion should be that both Lee Harvey Oswald and indeed also Jack Ruby acted alone. James H. Johnson who is a lawyer, writer, and lecturer in Washington D.C. points out at the beginning of his fascinating book that towards the end of his life the former president Lyndon B. Johnson was of the opinion that the Cuban president Fidel Castro was behind it.

The central thesis of this book is that Castro's actions were in direct retaliation to the murder attempts on him that were at that time being planned and orchestrated by the CIA. Meticulously researched and sourced from declassified “secret files” we learn how the CIA viewed assassination as an operational tool which it was prepared to outsource. The author takes the reader through the required essential background that includes the Cuban Revolution, The Bay of Pigs fiasco and the Cuban Missile Crisis and paints a picture of an intelligence service racked by duplication, non co-operation with other law enforcement agencies and unaccountability. It is a complex story but the author's readable style and lucid presentation of the known facts ensures transparency and understanding.

This is I think a must for both students of politics and history and those interested in how power can be used, corrupted and misused away from any semblance of elected accountability and oversight. Well worth a read.

I have watched a few films and documentaries about JFK. I have read a few books and conspiracy theories as well. This book is very well researched and very well written. It is really well compiled with plenty of references. I will probably reread this book at some stage and read some of the source material as well.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I will admit that I am a little bit of a conspiracies theory nut when it comes to JFK. The Author James H. Johnston creates a question and researches it the point readers will not be able to see anyone else view but the authors as truth.

This book isn't for the causal readers but those who are interested in the topic as well as the Era which the book covers.

The book has interesting ideas I am not one to completely believe everything he writes in this book but his research is hard to dispute.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Potomac Books for the advance copy of James Johnston Murder Inc

I'm going to give this JFK assassination book four stars because it is very well written. I've read about a dozen of these from various writers, starting in the 70s. The issue with this content is that it is very, very complex. There are thousands of details. What I like about this book is that the author has managed to keep a handle on the facts that are known, especially the prelude to the assassination, namely, the problems both Kennedys had with the CIA, the Mob and Cuba.
The author doesn't get swamped in any one area with minor details. That is a very easy thing to do with this material.
The problem I have with this book and any book that has yet to be written, is that is it virtually impossible to actually know the truth. The "truth" needs to be known about thousands of details and hundreds of people and it just isn't possible. I recommend the book for people who have never read about this saga in our American history but be forewarned, this book can't deliver the truth any better than any of the others, because we just can't know it.

This book was a good read, full of detail and sound writing. If you want to know detail by detail and date by date of the lead up to one of America's biggest crimes, check this one out.

This book examines the theory that Fidel Castro, former President of Cuba, may have been involved in the assassination of JFK in retaliation to US plots to murder Castro.

I thought it was an interesting read and there are definitely some merits to what the author argues. It is well researched from the released documents and there are some intriguing questions asked about the radio retrieved from Oswald's room, for instance. The sheer inefficiency and incompetency of the investigation into JFK's murder is again highlighted and a couple of possible reasons for this are offered. I'm just not sure I'm 100% convinced. If, like me, you're interested in the JFK case, I would recommend giving it a read.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, University of Nebraska Press / Potomac Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

I've read more than my fair share of JFK conspiracy theory books and this was a cut above most of them. I was commissioned to do a piece for DailyMail.com and focused on Gilberto Policarpo Lopez who may have been the real assassin https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7423059/Cuban-expat-actually-killed-John-F-Kennedy-former-Intel-Committee-counsel-claims.html